


Record

by MCUsic_to_my_ears



Series: ScienceBrosWeek2019 [6]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Journalism, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Artificial Intelligence, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Gen, Journalism, Science Bros Week, Science Bros Week 2019, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-09 17:49:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19891867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCUsic_to_my_ears/pseuds/MCUsic_to_my_ears
Summary: On the record, Bruce is cool as a cucumber. Off the record, he's freaking out over meeting the Tony Stark.***SBW 2019 Prompt 6: Record





	Record

Bruce tapped his pen against his notebook. Stark was already half an hour late. His assistant assured him that the inventor was on his way and had offered him a cup of coffee, which he declined. Caffeine would just make him even more jittery. Meeting the face of modern technology could do that. 

Bruce sighed, glancing at his watch.  _ Fifteen more minutes and I’m walking, _ he told himself, fully knowing that it wasn’t true. Ross would have his head if he didn’t get a story on Tony Stark. After the whole Betty fiasco, Bruce wasn’t willing to go against his oss. Being relegated to the style section last month had driven that point more than home. But how he was back in the technology page, meeting with his green energy hero. Expect, there was a slight hitch. Whether Ross had spent too much time talking to the editor of their web subsidiary,  _ the Daily Bugle _ or his personal vendetta had gotten more drugged fueled that usual. Another reason Bruce was considering ditching his appointment. Questioning the legitimacy of conspiracy theories wasn’t any reporters dream. Unless they were J. Jonah Jamerson, of course. 

Except, the elevator doors opened and it was too late. Bruce was now officially in the same room as Tony Stark.  _ Shit.  _ He stood up quickly as the assistant-V something, he was sure-briefed Tony on some meeting he was attending after their interview. 

“You’re the newspaper guy?” 

Bruce got whiplash from how quickly Stark turned on him. 

“Ye- yes,” he stuttered. “I’m Bruce Banner.”

“You’re here for the Stark Phone 6, right?”

“I am.” Bruce stood and followed Stark into his office at his beckoning. Stark settled down on his office chair, leaning far back, arms stretched behind his head. 

Bruce sat in front of him, hunched over his notebook. He started the voice memo on his phone. 

“Is that an Android I see?” Tony raised an eyebrow. 

“I, um- yeah, but, uh-” 

Stark waved him off. “I’m just teasing. Stark phones are overpriced and too gadgety to even be considered a phone at this point.” He frowned, looking down to the phone. “Off the record, of course.”

“Of course,” Bruce agreed with some mirth. 

“There’s gonna be a lot of that,” Stark confessed. “I’m still fairly hungover.” He paused. “Off the record.”

Bruce couldn’t help but laugh. “Let’s start with the basics. What’s different about the six from the five or the four? Why should consumers get the newer model?”

Tony shrugged. “Profit margins, mostly.” Bruce chuckled. “But seriously, this new model pulls out all the stops.” Stark prattled on about new built in apps and aspect ratios. Bruce asked a few guiding questions, but overall let the billionaire run through all his mental notecards. Bruce had seen a talk show segment where Stark memorized a randomly shuffled deck of cards in one minute to showcase his eidetic memory. Bruce had been impressed, especially after he and Betty tried and failed themselves. 

Bruce snapped out of his thoughts when Stark turned the tables. “What about you?”

“Huh?” He scribbled his last note down quickly and looked up. 

“What’s your take on the dependability of AI? Or are you all fluffy hair and glasses and no smarts?”

Bruce bit his lip. “Definitely the hair thing,” he quipped. “And on the record, the hair believes that AI could be used for both good and bad, depending on its creator. But off the record, the hair will hold its judgement until after something passes the Turing test.”

Stark perked up. “Do I have the scoop for you.” The inventor flicked open his tablet and typed for several minutes before flipping the screen for Bruce to see.

“Meet JARVIS.”

“Who?”

_ “Hello, Mr. Banner. I am Just a Rather Very Intelligent System, or JARVIS, for short. On the record, I am a learning UI. But off, I find the phrase Artificial Intelligence to be more applicable.” _

“Go ahead,” Stark goaded. “Pass judgment. Off the record, of course.”

  1. “Of course,” Bruce breathed, the conspiracy now in his hands. ****




End file.
